Singing Parasite [On Hold]

3.6

When Tyce opened his eyes, he found himself sitting propped against the cold glass wall of the bridge. His cheek was stuck against the glassy surface and he could see his breath condensing on the glass. He moved away, sat straight and looked out at the grey sky. The sun was not in the sky, but Tyce could see a bit light outlining the horizon. This told him that he had awoken before dawn.

Tyce stretched his hands and yawned. A strange feeling rose through his chest. He remembered what had happened yesterday. How a big sea monster had appeared out of nowhere and had attacked their ship. How it had knocked Rod into the water and had...

Closing his eyes, Tyce tried his best to push the picture of the huge jaws snapping shut around Rod out of his mind. But it stayed put, like an old car that didn't want to move.

Everything before his closed eyes was grey. But then, within a second, it got replaced with an orange hue. Tyce opened his eyes and stared at the deep, orange rays of sun that were curving over the sea. Soon, the top of the sun appeared.

Dawn was here.

Tyce walked out of the bridge and inhaled the salty cold air. The boat was moving at cruising speed and Tyce could feel the wind dancing on his face and hair.

He climbed down the staircase and went to the galley. The galley was in the front. Tyce fixed himself two cheese sandwiches. After gobbling that up, he went down the opening beside the helm. He walked across the short corridor right below the deck. He walked past the door that led to his room. Then past the door that led to Rod's room and stopped in front of the second door from the left.

He knocked and waited. No one opened the door. He knocked again. Nothing happened. Tyce sighed, grabbed the handle and pushed open the door.

There was no one in the room.

Where in the world did he go? Tyce thought and stepped out of the room.

He stared the door in front of him.

Tyce pushed it open. Inside, he saw the four section of Hermes, two sitting on the bed, two on the floor. Tyce backtracked his steps, closing the door with him. He went and checked Rod's room.

Duston lay sprawled on the bed. Tyce shook his shoulder. Duston got up with a start, making Tyce step back a little.

"Oh," Duston said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Good Morning."

"What are you doing in his room?" Tyce asked.

Duston stared at him for a while as if trying to recollect his last night's memories. A moment later, he blinked and said, "Oh. Yes. It's Rod's room. I-I came to check on his stuff, to see if there is anything that we can use."

Tyce nodded. "And?"

"I got his phone." Duston's eyes swooped down and he began groping the mattress. "Where did it go?" He raised his body and clawed out the phone from underneath his butt and held it out.

Tyce considered from where it had come and decided not to take it. "What about it?"

"I-I didn't mean to, Mr. Mani," Duston said in a small voice, "but I went through his me-messages."

"And what did you glean from it?"

"I think I understood why Rod decided to volunteer for this mission."

"That is not important," Tyce said. "It means nothing. Rod is dea--"

"He wanted to meet his sister," Duston said.

Tyce said nothing.

Duston touched the screen, and showed Tyce a picture of Rod with a woman and two kids. "At first, I thought she is his wife. But then as I went through his messages, I realized that she is his sister. Something happened to her husband. I don't understand what. But Rod took her and her kids in. They lived in Drumburg."